German Patent Publication P 41 02 272, corresponding to the above U.S. Ser. No. 07/825,627, discloses a flap door, wherein a bearing block with a bellcrank lever jointed to it, is attached to the flap door that swivels or tilts into the passenger cabin. The bellcrank lever has one lever arm formed as a handle and another lever arm has a roller which catches into a locking member in the closed position and which rolls off a supporting edge when the flap door is opened.
In the apparatus of the above mentioned U.S. Ser. No.: 07/825,627, the locking of the flap door is achieved with the roller that is attached to one lever arm, whereby the roller engages a biased locking member that surrounds the roller. During opening of the flap door, after overcoming the locking bias force, the roller is supported by a supporting edge by rolling along the supporting edge, whereby the flap door can also be opened against outside obstacles. Such an apparatus thus makes it possible in commercial aircraft for additional pilots or flight attendants to travel along in suitably prepared rooms in the cargo hold which are accessible through flap doors, especially on long-distance flights. The replacement crew can leave these rooms by the flap doors when needed and the original crew can go through these doors to rest in the lower quarters.